Just The Two of Us
by earthday
Summary: Ennis is in a state one night in the tent and Jack has to bring out his sensitive side to comfort him...
1. Chapter 1

**Just The Two of Us**

**(The characters aren't mine in this - they are the creation of Annie Proulx. I'm not earning any profit from this - just for fun :) )**

It was midnight when Jack finally returned to the camp with only the stars to guide his way. The sheep were fine, despite Aguirre insisting there was something up with them earlier, and were safe from any coyotes for the time being. Jack had considered staying up with them a little longer but when he had begun to set up his small, foul-smelling tent, the air around had started to rapidly cool, warning of fast approaching bad weather. Knowing that without a fire (Aguirre forbade it) he'd freeze to death, he had packed up his stuff and rode all the way back to Ennis's camp where he knew there'd be more sufficient shelter.

The flames were still comfortably flickering when he had arrived, promising warmth, and the horses were resting amongst the trees, settled down for the night. Jack crept past them upon returning and putting his equipment on the leafy ground, headed towards the tent.

Ennis was already inside, the sheets pulled right over him. However, as Jack knelt down to zip the canvas cover of the shelter up again, he noticed he was trembling. At first, he thought it must have been from the cold, but then he realised sharp gasps were coming from the makeshift bed, followed by what sounded like sobs. Jack paused at this, slightly taken aback.

'' Ennis...?'' he questioned softly, removing his hat and then his jacket. '' Ennis, are you OK...?''

Ennis's gasps immediately stopped at Jack's voice, choking into silence. Jack crawled forward a little and tried to pull back the sheets but was abruptly shoved off. '' Leave me alone, Jack,'' came Ennis's thick voice.

But Jack just ignored him, attempting again to see his companion's face. Concern had suddenly claimed him. '' Ennis, what's wrong?''

'' Go away!'' Ennis sounded vicious now, his words muffled by the pillow. '' Jus'...go back ta th' sheep!''

'' Ennis, ah jus' came all the way up – there's a storm a-brewin' out there and ah don't wanna be in it...What's up?''

Ennis clutched the sheets tighter over himself in response, trying to move away from Jack. '' Ah said leave me alone!'' he shouted.

'' Ennis, it's gonna start pourin' with rain in a minute! Ah got nowhere else ta go!''

'' What about ya tent?'' Ennis snarled. '' What's wrong with that?!''

'' It'll never hold out in tha' weather, Ennis. Jus' let me stay in here fer a night.''

'' Ah wan' be alone, Jack!''

'' Ennis, don't be so selfish – ah'm not goin' nowhere!''

'' Jack!''

'' Ennis!''

'' Jack! Go away!''

'' Ennis, what the hell is wrong with you? Ah'm tryin' a' help!''

'' Ah don't want no help, Jack! 'Specially not your's!''

Jack looked hurt. '' Well, thanks, Ennis!'' he hissed. '' Apparently, carin' don't work fer boys like you!''

'' Go back to the sheep, Jack Twist! Ah'll see you in the mornin'!''

'' Fine! Don't bother 'bout me, Ennis! Goodbye!'' And Jack began to back out of the tent, grabbing his hat and jacket on the way. He was just about to advance into the camp again when there was a sudden voice from behind him, urging him to stop. Shocked, he immediately did so and then slowly turned around.

Ennis was sitting up on the bedroll, clutching the sheets to his body and looking into his face with a distraught, anguished gaze. Tears were staining his pale cheeks and his eyes were red and swollen, portraying a thousand signs of sadness and adding to his almost heart breaking pain. Jack was stunned when he saw him. Throughout every day and week he had worked with him on this mountain, Ennis hadn't come out of his tough outer shell once or shown any hints of sensitivity. He'd trudged his way past the hours, doing what he was supposed to be doing, but barely saying a word afterwards. Only on a couple of occasions had Jack managed to have a proper conversation with him and even then, he had been doing most of the talking.

So now, the change seemed startling and even a little haunting. He'd never have thought he'd witness his companion cry, let alone freely display it to him, and at it, he felt he wanted to look away. Ennis appeared absolutely overcome with woe, every inch of him leaking with the emotion. Jack almost thought he'd start welling up himself if he continued to look.

'' Ennis...'' he muttered instead when the silence became too much. Any anger had immediately been washed away. '' Ennis, my God, what's wrong?''

'' Jack, ah...ah...ah can't say!'' And Ennis broke down in front of him, his head drooping into his shaking hands. Jack winced at his pain and then crawled closer, kneeling beside him on the wide bedroll. '' Ah can't, ah can't!''

'' It's okay, Ennis...'' He didn't really know what to say. He never had had to give comfort to anybody before and nobody had really tried to comfort him either. After all, his Father had wanted a tough lad as a son and his Mother had crumbled under his orders, understanding she should never whisper calming words to her child or cuddle him past the age of 10. That was the weak way apparently. Jack had learned to cry on his own. He wouldn't ever forget those memories, no matter how much he wanted to.

So as Ennis continued to weep, he didn't really know what to do. He could feel his own sensitive side swiftly coming through, what with the way his heart was starting to ache, but he had absolutely no idea how to soothe him. He'd maybe be able to comfort a girl yet a man? They didn't need it – or so his Father had said.

He couldn't bare to see Ennis like this though – no matter how odd that sounded to him.

'' Jack...'' the cowboy continued to moan. '' Oh Jack, ah'm so sorry for yellin' at cha...Ah jus'...jus'...oh, ah don't know!''

Jack was feeling increasingly uncomfortable around this sudden outpouring of emotion from Ennis. Apologies and crying all in a few minutes. Something awful must have happened, he thought. A guy like him didn't just lose it like that.

'' Ennis,'' he muttered after a while, realising his throat was almost completely dry. This didn't come easily to him. '' Ennis, it's – it's alright...ah'm – ah'm okay. Whatever's wrong?''

Ennis sobbed into the sheets, shaking his head. For a few moments, Jack thought he wasn't going to reply but then he looked up a little and blurted, '' It's Aguirre!'' in a thick voice.

Jack asked what he meant by this and through what seemed like an endless stream of tears, he choked out a story of how earlier that day, Aguirre had called him into his trailer and told him that losses were already being made, especially after that raging thunderstorm about a week ago. Ennis said he'd believed that it wasn't his fault but then Aguirre had apparently got furious at him answering back and in a blistering fit of anger over many subjects, had lashed out at him, knocking him to the floor. For what felt like an eternity after that, he told Jack that he'd beaten him black and blue with whatever was at hand. Ages passed yet in the end, he'd managed to escape (though delirious and excessively injured) and had stumbled back up into camp, not returning to sheep for the whole day.

Jack was both shocked and disgusted when Ennis had bravely relayed this story to him. His stomach twisted as he heard of Aguirre's violent and unnecessary abuse and by the conclusion he wanted to march up to his boss's trailer and show him what he thought about him for ever laying his hands on his friend. He almost couldn't believe what he was hearing. Aguirre had been breaking rules by making him sleep with no fire up with the sheep but to actually physically and severely mistreat Ennis was breaking laws.

'' Oh Ennis...'' he breathed after a while, the tale gradually sinking in. '' Oh, we have ta do somethin' 'bout this...''

Ennis sobbed. '' What are we meant a' do, Jack?!'' he asked. '' Go ta a police station?! The neares' one's miles away an' anyway, there's no real proof Aguirre did this! An' y'know what he'd do if he ever got questioned!''

Jack sighed. '' But there's gotta be somethin' we can do, Ennis. Look at the state yer in – this is serious!''

'' There's nuthin', Jack!'' came the dismal reply. It seemed Ennis had already gone through all this in his mind. '' Aguirre'll jus' make it worse if we try anyway! Ah'll be such a wimp!''

'' Ennis, 's not about that...'' This was becoming slightly easier for Jack now. ''...that guy jus' physically abused you! That's an offense – he should be locked up fer it!''

Ennis's head drooped again, making him look so defeated. His sobs gradually got harder, his whole body trembling. '' Oh Jack, a lot a' people should be locked up fer a lot a' things...There's nuthin' we can do up here. Ah jus'...ah jus' wanna got ta sleep an'... an' forget about it fer a bit...''

Jack couldn't protest any longer. Knowing how stubborn Ennis could be, he nodded slowly and let him slip back under the covers, following him after a while.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Just The Two of Us**

Gradually, Ennis's sobs began to die down a little. He clutched the pillow protectively to his chest and shaking, he allowed his tears to seep onto it for a few minutes after their chat, dampening the material considerably. It was a heart breaking and uncomfortable sound listening to a cowboy who seemed not to have any type of sensitive side cry, but fortunately, Jack didn't have to stand it for long.

By the time he took to finally manage to get warm in the mischievous breezes that were creeping in and out of the tent, Ennis's sobbing had at last softened. He could still feel him shaking beside him yet now, there was no noise to make him extremely awkward. So, gladly being able to cease his constant worries about comfort and soothing, he settled underneath the sheets and let his eyes drift shut, grateful when sleep claimed him.

*

He was woken about an hour later by Ennis beginning to cry next to him again. His pained sharp gasps filled the small tent once more and at the now all too familiar sound of them, Jack turned onto his side, the land of warmer dreams cruelly left behind and being replaced by harsh reality. Ennis was moaning and sobbing loudly and he knew that this time, he couldn't ignore it. It was obvious the memory of getting mercilessly beaten by Aguirre had smashed through his tough outer shell and buried itself without permission into his heart.

'' Ennis...?'' he asked quietly in the dark after barely a minute had passed. '' Ennis, are you okay?'' There was no other question he could really voice, even though the answer was clear as day.

'' Jack...'' Ennis cried despairingly in response, now unafraid that his companion had found him weeping. '' Jack...ah wanna cuddle...''

Jack's heart melted. Ennis had sounded so forlorn, so innocent when he had said that, worlds away from the unflinching cowboy he usually came across as. It made care and concern again creep through his veins and without any question or hesitation, he reached out and swept Ennis into his arms, drawing him close. Ennis sobbed and buried his face into his shoulder, babbling pained words.

'' Ssh, ssh...'' Jack whispered comfortingly, gently patting Ennis's hair, He'd seen one of his female friends do that to her crying daughter to soothe her. '' It's alright...''

'' Oh Jack...'' Ennis sobbed. '' Oh, it hurt so much...!''

Jack sighed, almost feeling his partner's sorrow himself. '' Does it still hurt now?'' he asked tenderly. Ennis nodded.

'' Where...?''

'' All over...Oh, it won't stop, Jack...Why did he do it ta me?''

'' Ssh, it's okay...Would you like somethin' on where it hurts?''

'' Oh Jack, we haven't got anythin'...''

'' Ah brought some water up from where ah was meant a' stay t'night... Ah put it over th' fire ta boil fer t'morrow but it should be okay to use now...''

Ennis sniffed and then nodded again. '' Okay...'' he muttered.

'' Alright. You wait here. Ah won't be long.''

And with that, Jack momentarily let Ennis go and then clambered out of the tent into the campsite. He returned to the shelter seconds later with a small bucket of warm water, one of the bars of soap they'd been supplied with and a cloth in his hand. Ennis slowly rolled onto his back as he entered and let him kneel beside him, rolling up his sleeves.

'' You okay lyin' like that, Ennis?'' he asked kindly. '' Don't hurt too much?''

Ennis shook his head. Jack smiled a little and then knowing that Ennis probably didn't feel like doing this himself, began to unbutton his shirt, gently easing it off when it was fully undone. Ennis shuffled and tried not to complain as he continued to take his undershirt, slowly pulling it over his head. It hurt incredibly to lift his arms but Jack was doing the best he could so he reluctantly let it happen, biting the inside of his lip.

Jack gasped when he saw Ennis's chest. Dotted over it in twisted, painful patterns was an array of purple and blue bruises, fresh and boldly standing out against his pale skin. Along with them was a succession of tiny but sharp cuts, deep red in the dark yet luckily, not bleeding. Ennis must have tended to them earlier.

Never the less, Jack was still shocked when the first set of injuries was revealed. Aguirre had obviously been as cruel as his companion had described and he had harshly left his mark on his body. Jack knew that the wounds would fade in time but the bitter memories wouldn't. He felt his blood boil at the boss.

'' Ennis...'' he breathed quietly, frowning and wincing for him. '' Oh Ennis, they look terrible...Can ya turn over? Ah need ta see if it's th' same on yer back...''

Ennis nodded and tried to turn yet a sharp shoot of pain immediately prevented him from doing so. '' Ow!'' he cried, feeling tears sting his eyes again. '' Oh no, ah don't think ah can...''

'' That's okay...'' Jack eased Ennis onto his back again and then reached down to unbuckle his belt. '' Ah'll deal with that in a minute...''

He began to fumble with Ennis's buckle, trying not to let his cold fingers touch his skin and shock him, but as he finally got it open, Ennis yelped and he glanced up. '' Ennis? You alright?''

'' Wait, Jack, ah...ah... We don't need ta do mah legs, do we?'' came the bumbling, almost embarrassed reply. Ennis seemed a little flustered.

'' Ah thought ya said it hurt all over, Ennis...''

'' It does but...but mah legs ain't so bad...''

'' C'mon, Ennis, ah'm tryin' a' help...''

'' Jack, it's okay.''

'' Ennis...c'mon...''

But Ennis just grabbed the bed sheets and pulled them back over himself, shuffling a little away from Jack. '' Ennis...'' he sighed. _This guy can be really stubborn at times_, he thought again. '' If ya don't want ta...''

'' No, it's alright...Ah'll do it...''

And looking away from Jack momentarily, Ennis reached under the covers and slid off his belt. It hurt to get his jeans down after that but he finally managed to, lifting his hips a little off the bedroll to make it easier. Jack watched him struggle for a bit, not breathing a word, but knowing he was just going to get turned away, he didn't offer any help.

'' Okay...'' Ennis muttered after a bit, panting slightly in pain yet not giving in. '' Hand me the water...Ah'll do it mahself...''

Jack shook his head, doing nothing of the sort. '' Ennis,'' he sighed, smiling softly at his friend. '' Ennis, c'mon. Ah'm not gonna hurt ya or nuthin'. An' if it does hurt, ah'll stop. Ah'll be as gentle as ah can...An' don't be shy – it's jus' me...''

Ennis paused, looking up into Jack's eyes. He sounded so sweet and so sincere when he said those words that suddenly, it was all okay. So, slowly, Ennis found himself taking the sheets and pushing them down bit by bit, revealing his naked bruised body underneath. His legs were in pretty much the same condition as his chest and arms, injured painfully and splattered with purple and blue splodges but Jack didn't react as badly when he saw them, now expecting it.

Instead, he took the cloth he had brought in and rubbing some soap on it, dipped it into the warm water, lathering it up. '' Now, jus' yell if this hurts, Ennis...'' he breathed, scared himself of inflicting pain. '' Ah'm – ah'm sorry if it does...''

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**Just The Two of Us**

And slowly to begin with, he stroked the material over Ennis's chest, massaging the bruises and cuts. Ennis gasped, tears pricking his eyes once more. He tried to hold them back but as Jack started washing all over his aching body, following colourful paths of injury and terrible memories, one or two slid down his cheek, making him whimper. Jack continued though, trying to whisper calming words yet increasingly on edge himself. It was a relief for both of them when he finally finished, putting the cloth back in the bucket and pushing it to the corner of the tent. Ennis sobbed as he pulled the sheets back over him, trembling now with cold and pain.

'' Jack...'' he cried, wiping at his tears. '' Oh Jack, that hurt so much...''

'' Ah'm sorry, Ennis. Don't cry...''

''...sorry.'' Ennis moaned and then turned slightly to face Jack, their eyes meeting. Gently, he let their fingers lace together and squeeze a little. With no more words, they leant in and began to kiss, very unsurely but passionate none the less. Ennis didn't utter a noise when his lips were parted further, allowing their intimacy to deepen, yet he held his hand firmer, needing reassurance in his fragile state. Jack gave him just that, running his other hand through his curly hair and slowly getting on top of him, making sure he was on the covers so as not to hurt him too much. They continued to kiss for a few moments after that, embracing and touching, yet at last, each pulled away and looked into the other's eyes.

'' Jack...'' Ennis began, tears in his sparkling, brown orbs, but Jack stopped him, sitting up a little and undressing, his clothes soon being piled up next to his companion's. Ennis groaned shyly and let him join him under the covers, now fully on top of his damp body. The two cowboys embraced again and started to kiss, hands running uncontrollably over each other's skin. Neither had been with another man before, never had even contemplated it, so both were scared yet they let things happen as they came, searching and discovering.

After a while of more confident intimacy now, Jack made a soft trail down Ennis's neck with his lips and reached over for the bucket of warm water, taking the soap. Ennis sighed and turned his head to the side, enjoying Jack's kisses all over his skin as his companion prepared himself with the wet item in his hand. He had never had any experience of this in his life, not even with a girl, and he was terrified but he didn't quite know what of.

'' Ennis...'' Jack whispered after a bit, putting the soap back and embracing the trembling ranch hand. '' Ennis, ah – ah don't wanna hurt you...''

'' Oh Jack, it's – it's okay...'' Ennis replied between soft kisses. '' Ah need this so much...It's alright....''

Jack nodded and closed his eyes, nudging Ennis's legs wider apart. Both men gasped as he entered him.

'' Ah! Oh, Jack, that hurts....'' Ennis hissed, his eyelids squeezing shut to stop the tears from falling.

'' Ah'm sorry...'' Jack panted in response. Ennis was slick and wet from the soapy water but still tighter than ever. '' Ah....oh, it'll get better...''

Ennis nodded and wrapped his arms around his neck, groaning in pain as Jack tried to push through. '' Oh, oh Jack...Never leave me...'' he gasped. ''...Ah can never face Aguirre again... Ya gotta stay with me....''

'' Ah will, Ennis...''

'' Ah need someone to trust, Jack... Ah can't go out there alone. Please...please say ah can trust you...''

'' You can trust me, Ennis...Ah won't let Aguirre lay another hand on you...''

And then Jack finally broke through, entering Ennis fully. Ennis sighed and unsurely wrapped his legs around his waist, giving himself over to him. He trusted him now, knowing he'd watch out for him in the fields and protect him. Before tonight, he'd never have even imagined himself in such a delicate state but he couldn't help it. Those cuts had been deep, if not physically yet certainly mentally.

He needed the comfort and the care so much and he realised that now. Alma wasn't even registering in his mind. It was just Jack, Jack, Jack...

They made love very slowly and tenderly that night, scared of inflicting or receiving pain. Ennis was confused and terrified but Jack's soft kisses were distracting him, on his mouth and over his sore skin. He didn't know what to do yet as it began to happen, he embraced Jack tighter and whispered in his ear.

'' Jack...'' he sighed passionately. '' Oh Jack...promise me you'll do all those things you said earlier...Ah need you so much...''

'' Ah will, Ennis...'' came the breathless reply.

Ennis choked out a sob, tears now spilling from his eyes. Jack held him closer. '' Promise me!'' he begged desperately.

Jack trembled, gasping as he buried his face into Ennis's damp hair. '' I promise!'' he moaned. '' Oh Ennis...! Ennis...!''

''...Jack! Oh Jack...ah!''

And, holding tightly onto each other, they climaxed at the same time, hitting dizzy heights. It lasted for a few amazing moments yet then they finally collapsed into the other's arms, exhausted. Ennis sobbed and began to cry again, overwhelmed by a thousand different emotions. Jack weakly stroked his beautiful hair.

'' It's alright, it's alright...'' he whispered soothingly as his companion trembled and shook. '' Ssh, ssh...''

Ennis tried to do as Jack said, tried to go along with his soft words, but he just couldn't. He was confused and scared and sore and his mind was spinning. What they had just done had felt so good yet he knew, and had been told from a young age, that two men kissing and interacting in the way they had was wrong. Apparently, only men and women were allowed to do that together. He couldn't tell what wasn't right about it though. And as he continued to weep in Jack's arms, he realised that he was now crying because of the society around him. He didn't know what he really felt for his companion up on the mountain – after all, they'd never talked at length before or even just spent much time alone so he was very unsure. But what if he did like him? Not just as a friend anymore but as...something else? He couldn't. Nobody would ever accept him if that happened. Yet....he couldn't help his feelings. Though what they were he still didn't know.

In the end, he found himself sobbing harder, his throat now aching. Jack was rocking him gently, obviously not as fazed as him by what had happened, and whispering words into his ear. He clutched him tighter and buried his face into his dark hair, allowing him to roll over so he was by his side.

'' Jack...'' he cried as he wrapped the sheets around them. '' Oh Jack, ah'm so confused...''

'' Ssh, ssh...don't think about it...'' Comforting was coming easier to Jack now, the love they had just made having broken down a few walls between them.

'' But...oh, what jus' happened, Jack?''

'' Don't worry, Ennis...Look...'' And Jack gently tilted Ennis's head up to face him. Ennis sucked in a breath, trying desperately to stop the tears trickling down his cheeks. ''...Jus' close your eyes...''

Ennis nodded and did as he was told, encircling his arms around Jack's waist. For a few moments, there was silence between them, broken only by their quiet breathing. Ennis stilled his sobbing and was rewarded after a while of tender intimacy by Jack beginning to sing very gently to him, a gentle lullaby to calm him.

He was startled at first, thinking a rough-talking cowboy like Jack would never do something like this, but the night was getting on and as he continued to croon lovingly to him, he felt his eyelids getting heavy and his thoughts quietening. Within minutes, his head had dropped onto his companion's chest and he had drifted off to sleep, relaxed by the sound of Jack's voice.

Jack smiled at the sight of Ennis dozing in his arms. Gently, he stroked through his beautiful blonde curls and rested his own head upon them. Whispering a tender goodnight to him, he let out a blissful sigh and then joined him in the priceless land of dreams.

THE END


End file.
